Chapter 6
"Anger is never without reason, but seldom with a good one" -Benjamin Franklin
"Hello I am Keira Brooks from New York news and here's Jim Chi with the business reports."
"Hello and good morning New York! Today stocks are plummeting in the Famsung enterprise. Investors are pulling out their stocks as we speak, attempting to salvage the money that they already have due to the lack of sales because of the new ePhone. CEO Ivan Guskov has released nothing on his plans for the company, but there is a great chance that he is going to have to declare bankruptcy, and give up the company. Live coverage of this heavy debacle will be aired only on New York News. Seeya tomorrow New Yo-"
The TV cut blank. "Ivan why are you torturing yourself."
"Why not? It's not like I have anything to live for?"
"Ivan! Don't say that!" Anfisa yelled; however, nothing her loud screams could not penetrate Ivan's alcohol induced cloud of self loathing.
As she paced across the room, hoping to find the words to convince her brother of his worth, the bell rang, it's booming sound echoing across the grand, yet empty house. Anfisa groaned in frustration and stormed to the door, finding a tall asian man waiting on the welcome mat.
"Quan?!" Anfisa exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw the news. Is Ivan okay?"
"Depends on how you define okay." Anfisa open the door wider and gestured for him to come in. "Take you shoes off."
Quan followed her request and walked toward the living room, a look of concern stapled onto his face. "Ivan?" Quan boomed.
Ivan was sitting with a blanket around him burrito style, cradling a bottle of whiskey in his arms. "Anfisa?" Ivan queried, eyebrows furrowed.
"Ivan? Oh, Ivan! It's Quan!"
Ivan stood up, with intense curiosity. He reached toward Quan, and placed his hand on his cheek. It was almost like two fuses put together, releasing a spark in Ivan's brain. "Quan?" Ivan turned his head and squinted his eyes, trying to piece an imaginary puzzle in his head.
"It's me." Quan smiled as suddenly, Ivan's face filled with disgust.
"Fuck you!"
"What? Ivan?"
"This is all you fault! My father was right!"
"Ivan, you don't mean that. Look calm down. We can talk-"
"Yeah I do mean that, you know what they say: drunk words are sober thoughts." Anfisa desperately wanted to butt in, to tell her brother that he was being an absolute grapefruit, but something was stopping her. It wasn't her place to do anything. Their relationship needed to happen on their own, if she had to save it, it would be worth saving. "Get out of my house!" She heard Ivan belt.
"Ivan!" Quan screamed, his voice pleading.
"Get out of my house! I can't stand the sight of you. The sight of the man that single-handedly ruined my life!"
Quan's look hardened. "This was not all me," his voice even, "This was you and your conservative views. You won't change anything about yourself or your company and that's your problem!"
"Fuck you!" Ivan yelled for the second time. "Leave my house!"
"Gladly," Quan replied, tears brimming in his eyes. Before he left, he ran into Anfisa and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Things will get better someday." He whispered, almost as if he was as unsure of the statement as she was.
As Quan shut the door of their grand house, Anfisa heard clunks and thumps coming from the living space. "God Ivan, what did you do?" Anfisa said, upon seeing his figure desperately trying to stay upright, but failing.
She guided him to the sofa and laid him down, positioning his head on a pillow. Once he snuggled up in his blanket, he instantly fell asleep, leaving Anfisa with the mess.
